Castle Alphabet Drabbles
by handful of sky
Summary: This is a series of exactly-100-word drabbles, each with a theme corresponding to a different letter of the alphabet. All Beckett/Castle, all the time. Anything and everything else goes, including romance, humor, and the occasional heartache.
1. All In

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**All In**

His mouth is dry and his palms are sweaty, but Castle bets anyway.

Beckett looks at him speculatively before narrowing her eyes. "You're bluffing."

"There's one way to find out." He pushes the stacks of chips to the center of the table. "Why dont you make sure you know what the stakes are?"

Her nimble fingers sort quickly through the chips, but they falter when they uncover the small velvet box hidden beneath them. She opens it with trembling hands and lifts out the platinum and sapphire engagement ring.

She smiles as she slides it onto her finger. "I call."


	2. Blue

Reposted because I'm a moron and accidentally deleted it.

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Blue**

The moment that she first sees the dress, she knows it's the one. Herve Leger, cut down to there, and the color that his eyes take on just as the sun starts to set. Eager hands carry it to the dressing room, slip it over her head, and smooth the material snugly over her hips. Her reflection looks on approvingly as she examines herself carefully from all angles. Finally, she nods, changes back into her clothes, and heads for the register. She doesn't bother looking at the price tag. Some things are worth having in your life at any cost.


	3. Can Opener

Reposted because I'm a moron and accidentally deleted it.

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Can Opener**

"Ow! Son of a..." Her words trail off as she puts the injured finger to her mouth.

Castle sets down his chili cheese dog (which, in hindsight, looks far more appealing than the can of soup she was wrestling with) and pulls out his pocket square. "Let me see it," he says in a firm, but gentle tone—one that brooks no argument. He examines her hand critically before wrapping the material gently around her finger. "Want me to kiss it better?" His expression says that he's only half-joking.

"No." The lie stings a lot more than her finger does.


	4. Daffodils

Reposted because I'm a moron and accidentally deleted it.

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Daffodils**

Everyone in her life knows she prefers to be alone on the anniversary of her mother's death, so she's surprised to hear the hesitant rap at her door. She's more surprised to find Castle behind it, holding a brightly colored bouquet.

"Hey," he says softly. "I didn't know what your plans were, but I thought, if you're going to see her today, maybe you'd take these for me."

She takes the flowers and inhales their delicate fragrance before putting them back into his hands.

"Come on, " she says as she grabs her coat. "You can give them to her yourself."


	5. Evolution

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it. Thanks go to ignacio2012 for the prompt.

* * *

**Evolution**

She looks at him thoughtfully. "You're not the same person you were when we first met."

"No, I'm not," he agrees as he takes a cautious sip of his too-hot coffee. "Is that a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing?"

She considers the question. "A good thing," she says eventually. "Seeing the things we see, doing the things we do...any sane person would be affected by that, but not always for the better."

"Careful," he warns jokingly. "That sounded suspiciously like a compliment."

"Yeah." She knocks his elbow off of her desk. "I must be slipping."


	6. First Times

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it. Thanks go to ignacio2012 for the prompt.

* * *

**First Times**

**"**It's absolutely incredible," she says, and the note of awe in her voice thrills him to no end.

"I've always thought so," he replies. "Tell me why it appeals to you."

She thinks for a moment. "It's a little bigger than I expected, so it's hard to take it all in at once. It's unbelievably kinetic. It just draws you closer and dares you to touch it."

"You know," he suggests softly, "we could drive up to the Hamptons tomorrow. Have our own 'Starry Night'."

Eyes still glued to van Gogh's masterpiece, she smiles and tucks her hand inside his.


	7. Grief

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

Thanks for all the kind reviews! I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this series.

* * *

******Grief**

One week afterward, Castle comes back to the precinct, claiming that, with Alexis back at school, he needs to work. No one argues with him.

Two weeks afterward, his clothes are noticeably looser. He pushes his food around on his plate when Kate insists that they have lunch together.

One month afterward, his eyes well up during an interrogation. Ryan and Esposito take the suspect back to his cell, and she holds Castle's hand while he pulls himself back together.

One month and one day afterward, she spends the night in his arms. Martha is gone, but he's still loved.


	8. Hot Dog

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it. Thanks go to ignacio2012 for the prompt.

* * *

******Hot Dog**

"Are you aware that the vast majority of choking incidents are caused by those?"

"Really?" He takes another big bite and chews vigorously while trying to keep pace with her, but stops suddenly with a stricken look on his face and puts his hands to his throat.

"Knock it off," she warns. "It's not funny."

He swallows. "Not even a little bit?"

She sighs softly. "Jack was only four. He went without oxygen for over three minutes. He was never the same afterward."

Kate sees Castle's horrified expression and decides to drop the other shoe. "Couldn't fetch worth a damn."


	9. Indelible

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Indelible**

Words have power. He's known this since his mother first put a pencil into his fist and taught him how to write his name. Most of his work is done electronically now, but that wasn't always the case. He's written on napkins, on take-out menus, hell, on his own skin when he had to.

He opens the journal and creases back the stiff new pages. The pen feels heavy in his hand, but the tip flies over the paper, scoring thick black lines across the creamy white expanse, shaping the words that he can never take back.

_I love her._


	10. Jones

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Jones**

One hit.

One high, one thrill, one time. Two weeks later, he still feels like a junkie looking to score.

She casually tosses her hair back behind her shoulder, and his fingers twitch with wanting to explore its texture. Her lips purse thoughtfully for a moment, and he fantasizes about pressing his own against them until she makes that breathy little sound that was damn near his undoing the first time.

Heroin and meth couldn't possibly be as addictive as she is, and no 12-step program in the world is going to make him stop wanting to kiss her again.


	11. Kitchen

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Kitchen**

"How much longer, Castle?" she asks from her countertop perch. "I'm getting hungry."

He looks up from the dish that he's tasting. "Well, you'll have to be patient," he smiles. "You can't rush perfection."

Patience is not one of her strong suits. A firm tug on his wrist pulls him squarely into the vee between her legs, and she relishes the sudden contact.

As her lips brush along his jawline, he warns gently, "It's going to burn."

"Let it." She nips at his earlobe and enjoys the way his hips jerk reflexively. "I never said I was hungry for food."**  
**


	12. Lucky

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Lucky**

When Castle was six, he found a four-leaf clover in Central Park.

His mother laughed and said, "I don't know how you managed to find that on the ground, Richard, when your head's always up in the clouds."

They pressed it carefully between the pages of Gulliver's Travels, but it turned to dust long ago. A faint imprint remains, and he rubs a fingertip across it thoughtfully.

Josh comes back from Africa tomorrow, and, sometimes, absence does _not_ make the heart grow fonder. Castle's torn between wishing for Kate's happiness or for his own. He wonders if they'll ever coincide. **  
**


	13. Mistletoe

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Mistletoe**

For the first time since he was ten, he avoids it. She does the same. They mingle with the other guests, but they remain acutely aware of each other. He takes a hesitant step toward the sprig, and she mirrors him. Then she backs away slightly, and he follows suit.

They dance around each other until either the moment or the spiked eggnog finally gets the better of them. When they come together, the kiss tastes like dark chocolate: sweet and intense, but with a bitter undercurrent—the certain knowledge that, come tomorrow, they'll both pretend it didn't mean anything.


	14. Near

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Near**

She always knows when he's close by. Maybe his aftershave precedes him, or maybe there are other cues that alert her to his presence. Maybe it's just that he never shuts up long enough to sneak up on anybody.

She never really thought about it until she picked up Josh at JFK yesterday. The international arrivals area was crowded, and, even with his size, she didn't notice him until he put a hand to her shoulder. She jumped, and he apologized.

A familiar footfall and the smell of fresh coffee interrupt her reverie. She doesn't bother turning around. "Morning, Castle."


	15. Ozone

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

My muse pointed out to me that this is essentially a companion piece to "Lucky" and "Near". The three combine easily to make a trilogy of sorts.

* * *

**Ozone**

She can feel the storm brewing for days before it finally arrives. It announces itself in fits and starts, flaring up suddenly before calming just as quickly. The last lull is mercifully brief. The atmosphere has been hushed and heavy for too long, and it's almost a relief when the stillness is finally broken.

Once it begins in earnest, it builds rapidly in intensity—worse than she'd hoped, but not as bad as she'd feared. When it blows itself out, everything seems fresh and full of new possibilities.

Josh is gone. One and one and one was one too many.

* * *

A/N: This site won't let me do subscripts, but ozone is a triatomic molecule; its chemical formula is O3. Ozone is far less stable than its diatomic counterpart, O2. This ends our chemistry lesson for today ;-)


	16. Pi

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Pi**

Bakery boxes are scattered all over the break room.

"What'll it be, detective?" Castle asks. "Apple? Peach? Banana cream?"

Ryan and Esposito are having some of each.

"Must be March 14th." She pours her coffee.

Castle brings her a plate. "You have a thing for cherries, don't you?"

She hands it back. "Not my favorite constant."

He spears a bite. "Then what is?"

"Mu." She gives him the once-over. "It's the coefficient of friction."

The dessert rolls off of his fork and hits the floor.

The guys spend the afternoon hassling Castle about losing his cherry. She smiles every time.


	17. Quilt

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Quilt**

When she opens her door, he says, "This came a few minutes after you left."

She takes the box. "And you were just dying to know what's inside. Come on." She waves him to the couch and opens it, pulling out a crazy patchwork of hearts and frogs, of books and butterflies, and rainbows and rockets.

"It was damaged in the explosion," she says softly. "I had it restored."

"There must be quite a story behind it."

To his surprise, she tells him. He listens quietly, warmed by both the nearness of her body and the glimpse into her past.


	18. Rick

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Rick**

The first time she uses his name is a question. He doesn't respond because his answer will either change everything or change nothing at all. He's not sure which he's afraid of more.

The second time she uses his name is a command. He hits the ground, but not fast enough. The graze scares her more than him, and the department makes him sign another waiver.

The third time she uses his name is an exclamation. He has no idea how thick the walls in her place are, but he has a feeling that soundproofing might be a good idea.


	19. Sun

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Sun**

When the inevitable finally happens and he stops a bullet with his vest, his mother cautiously begins another discussion about the dangers inherent in getting too close. She says he's blinded by Beckett's radiance and drawn by her heat. She talks about moths and flames and how the last thing she wants is to see him get burned.

Oh, he knows that she means well, but she's using the wrong metaphor and her advice comes far too late. Like Icarus, he's already fallen. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether or not he lands on his feet.


	20. Tree

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Tree**

"Let it go, Castle."

"Almost there..." The limb breaks, and he and the evidence both fall to the ground. "See? Told you I had it."

Hours later, still stoned from whatever meds they gave him to set his wrist, he looks at his hand morosely. "Why didn't anyone ever tell me I have sausage fingers?"

"The swelling is temporary. When it goes down, they'll put your cast on."

"Will you sign it?" he asks.

"Only if it's pretty."

After five days, he shows up with a black pen and a hot pink cast. She laughs and signs it _Nikki Heat._


	21. Unspoken

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Unspoken**

He wants to talk first.

That isn't unexpected; it's just damned inconvenient, because she can think of so many other uses for his mouth.

He wants to fix her breakfast.

She won't allow it because eating Belgian waffles with him somehow seems more intimate than sharing his bed.

He wants her to admit that this isn't just about sex anymore.

It's _never _been just about sex, not for her. And she'll never admit _that_ because she suspects that the same isn't true for him.

He wants her to marry him.

She wants to believe that the third time's the charm.


	22. Vested

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Vested**

They were shot at again today. Hours later, she's still rattled by the fact that six white letters on an inch and a half of Kevlar are all that stand between her and the abyss.

When he was just a writer, she could have handled his death. It would have hurt, but it would have been bearable. Her mind races through all the things that he is to her now—and all the things he could be in the future. He's not the same man she met three years ago.

Nikki Heat may be his creation, but Castle is hers.


	23. Chapter 23

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

A/N: I won't be including a title because it's contained within the story.

* * *

When the storm soaks them both, she offers him a place to dry off. Inertia takes over, and she offers him her bed, too.

After her first bath at his place, she's a convert. His tub is big enough to share.

The bikini she brings to the Hamptons is flimsy. He accidentally tears it; she shrugs and swims topless.

Every time she does the ice cube trick, he winds up sleeping on the wet spot. It's totally worth it.

Rivulets trickle down between her shoulder blades. He covers one with his mouth and her gasp echoes off of the tile.

* * *

If you didn't catch today's theme, glance along the left margin, specifically at the first letter of each paragraph.


	24. XXX

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**XXX**

He's always led a rich and varied fantasy life. (It helps that he gets paid to make stuff up.) But nowadays, instead of dreaming about vacuous blondes who hang on his every word and ask him to sign their breasts, he finds himself increasingly fixated by visions of a slim brunette who mocks him, challenges him—and _captivates_ him. He's got enough material for at least ten more sex scenes between Heat and Rook, but if the occasional fantasy about handcuffs and the break room table still crops up, well, he can only hope that life will eventually imitate art.


	25. Yes

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

* * *

**Yes**

It's become a game between them, and no one else is allowed to play. He casually tosses out an innuendo, and she shoots him down. No harm, no foul, no offense taken.

That changes when they begin investigating a corpse in a pirate costume. Castle offers to show her his Jolly Roger, and she instantly thinks, _At_ _full mast__?_ A hot flush spreads over her face, and her hands clench convulsively. She bites her lip hard enough to taste blood and mumbles a weak rejoinder about keelhauling.

Her mouth can deny him all it wants to; her body's already decided.


	26. Zombie

All the usual disclaimers apply: I don't own Castle, never will, and certainly have no chance of ever profiting from it.

**A/N**: I can't begin to tell you how much fun I had writing these. I truly appreciate all the kind comments and reviews. I'm open to the idea of expanding a few drabbles into longer works, so if you have a favorite (or three), let me know.

* * *

**Zombie**

"Is that what I think it is?" She points at the molded gelatin on the table.

"Depends." He sticks his finger into the red goo and tastes it. "If you think it's raspberry, you're absolutely right."

"Castle, when you invited me over for dinner and a movie, I wasn't expecting a Jell-O cerebrum and 'Night of the Living Dead'."

"You'd be the perfect dinner date for some lucky ghoul, though: gorgeous legs, perfect mouth, amazing eyes, and an abundance of braaaiiiiinnnnssss."

Kate stares at him.

"Um, that was my outside voice, wasn't it?"

"Yeah." She samples the Jell-O. "But thanks."


End file.
